Proving you’re a good tenant is important not only in the application stage, but also throughout the entirety of your lease. Being a good tenant is more than just paying your rent on time. If you prove yourself to be an exemplary tenant, you are more likely to receive positive recommendations from your landlord when you potentially apply for another home down the road. Recommendations greatly influence the landlord when he/she is deciding between multiple possible tenants to fill their vacancy. Here’s what
you can do to secure a great review:
● Pay rent on time! Just because the due date and the date in which rent is deemed late are a few days apart, does not mean that rent paid after the due date is not indeed late. The day which rent is considered late is the day that a late fee is charged to your account. Your payment will still be considered late if you submit it anytime after the rent due date. When your landlord is asked to provide a recommendation to future landlords, they will have to state that you were late to pay rent.
● Treat the property as if it were your home! Even though you don’t own the property and are only inhabiting it temporarily, you should treat it as if it were your own. If you respect the property, your landlord will respect you. As a rule of thumb, you should always leave things better than you found them. Keep the space tidy. Don’t smoke inside. Avoid pet mess. Keep up with the lawn if you have one.
● Maintain creditworthiness! You built a sufficient credit history in order to land this rental. Congrats! It is just as important to keep that up throughout your lease. It will make your landlord more likely to offer you a lease renewal and it will appeal to potential future landlords.
● Communicate! Keeping an open line of communication with your landlord is important and proves you to be more trustworthy. Life happens and things can get out of our control. Be honest with your landlord! If an unexpected event occurs that affects your ability to afford or pay rent on time, tell them. Your landlord can use that information to best adapt with you or figure out an
alternative gameplan. You don’t need to disclose intimate details, but a little information goes a long way. It’s better for them to be informed than you hurt your record by paying rent late seemingly out of neglect.
